COUNTY-USC MEDICAL CENTER: Board Opposes Public Hearings
In the latest round of the "seemingly unending war" over the size of County-USC Medical Center, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday against legislation that would require them to hold public hearings if they rebuilt the hospital with 600 beds, rather than the 750 legislators want. According to the Los Angeles Times, Board Supervisor Gloria Molina and others objected to the vote, saying that "a 600-bed hospital will be too small for the county's burgeoning population of uninsured residents." In 1998, the board voted to downsize the hospital to prevent bankruptcy, but encountered opposition from a group of legislators who restricted county funds to encourage the board to reconsider. The ongoing dispute has "soured the relationship between the board and Sacramento." David Janssen, county chief administrative officer, agreed with the board's decision, noting that the legislation "flies in the face of board policy that decisions should be made at the local level" (5/18).
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